Two new four-cylinder engines will be produced at the plant – a 1.4L turbo for the Cruze and a 1.4L naturally aspirated mill for the Volt. The smaller engine sizes will help the vehicles reduce their overall miles-per-gallon rating while still delivering adequate power for everyday use. In terms of power output and technology they are similar to engines already being built by GM in Europe.
The $370m investment includes $349m for the construction of a new 552,000 square foot plant, machinery, equipment and special tooling to support production of the new 4-cylinder engines. Another $21m is allocated for vendors to create tooling for new parts.
The engines may also find their way in to other small cars being built by GM as it works to downsize its range of vehicles and aims to comply with tough CAFE regulations.